Improvement in portable capstans for mole-plows



WALL, ROBERTS RL CARTER. Mole Plow.

No. 30,015 Patented Sept. 11, 1860.

NPETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRINER. WASHINGTON, D. C.

UNITED Y STATES PATENT OFFICE..

A. LITTLE o. WALL, GEORGE RoBERTs, AND M. s. OARTTER, OE DEOATUR,

ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN PORTABLE CAPSTANS FOR MOLE-PLOWS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 30,015, dated September 11, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we,A. LITTLE ONE WALL, GEORGE ROBERTS, and MILO S. GARTTER, all of Decatur, in the county of Macon and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Grabs or Capstans, (specially adapted for use in connection with a mole-plow, but applicable to various other purposes,) of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which make part of this specification, and in which- Figure l represents an elevation of one side of a portable crab or capstan embracing our improvements, the parts being showuin the attitude they assume when the machine is raised upon its wheels. Fig. 2 represents a similar view of the same, but with the parts in the attitude they assume when the crabis lowered upon and anchored in the ground. Fig. 3 represents a view in perspective of the machine as seen from behind, with the parts in the same attitude, as in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents a view, partly in section, of the mechanism for throwing the upper and lower spools or barrels of the oapstan into or out of gear, the parts being shown in the attitude they assume when the lower spool, or that through which the tractivel power is applied, is in gear with the operating mechanism. Fig. represents a similar view of the same, but with the parts in the attitude they assume when the upper spool, or that by which the machine is raised upon its supportingwheels, is in gear with the operating mechanism.

The advantages accruing to the agriculturalist from the use of underground drains are so manifest that they are nowregarded as almost indispensable adjuncts to every well-improved farm. rlhis ofcourse has created a demand for machinery capable of constructing such drains in the cheapest and most expeditious manner, and the machines most generally used for this purpose are denominated moleplows.7 These plows usually consist of a colter attached to a strong beam and having a mole at its lower extremity of a size to accommodate the drain required. As this mole has to be forced through the ground at a depth varying with that of the drain, (but not infrequently two or three feet below the surface,) it is obvious that a very great expenditure of power must be required. It is likewise absolutely.

essential to the convenient and successful operation of the machine by which the plow isV forced through the ground that, while capable of being securely anchored and of exerting any required degree of force upon the plow, it should at the same time admit of being readily removed from place to place and quickly adj usted, in order to recommence work without undue loss'of time.

Our invention relates to that class of portable capstans in which the capstan is mounted upon a frame supported upon bent axles; and our improvements consists, first, `in arranging a capstan consisting of two spools upon the sameshat't upon the frame in lsuch manner that the track-rope by which the plow is drawn may be attached to one spool, while the other may operate upon a system of cords, levers, and pulleys connected with the bent axles upon which the frame is mounted, by which means we attain a novel, useful, and convenient method of employing the whole power of the capstau in drawing the dukes out ofthe ground; secondly, in so constructing the front axle that it shall have a swiveling as well as an axial movement in its bearings, so thatit may readily be tnrnedin any required direction to facilitate the turning of the machine, while at the same time it holds the front of the frame sel curely at its greatestelevation from the ground, whereby (in addition to the advantages above enumerated) the anchoring of the crab is facilitated, as hereinafter more fully described; thirdly, supporting the truck upon wheels having their bearings in adjustable arms in such manner that the radius of the are of a circle described by each wheel (or each axle) as the fname is raised or lowered upon its wheels may be varied at the will of the operator, as well as the angle of the machine with respect to' the ground, by which means the machine can be made to preserve its horizontal position irrespective of the inequalities of the surface of the ground, and thereby avoid throwing the strain of the entire weight of one end of the machine upon one wheel while in the act of lifting the frame.

In the accompanying drawings the frame A of the machine is represented as supported upon wheels B, which have their bearings in adjustable arms b, which slide longitudinally in guides b', secured to the bent parts of the axles G G', and are held in any required position by the set-screws b2, by which means the frame can be adjusted to any desired'height from the ground. The rear axle, C', turns in bearings c in the frame Ain such manner that, while it cannot vary its position relative to the frame, it is free to turn on its axis in orderto facilitate the raisin gand lowering of the machine. The front axle, G, on the contrary, turns in a single swiveling bearing, e, which has aspindle passing entirely' through the frame and secured by a nut and washer; and as'this bearing c turns freely on its axis the front axle has not only an axial but a swivelin g movement as well, in order to facilitate the guiding of the ma-` chine. A semieircular piece of metal, e2, is firmly secured or connected to this axle in such manner that while the bent part of the axleis verticalthat is, when the machine is raised to its greatest height-the selnicircle c2 is parallel to and lies upon the top of the frame, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. It may be held in this position, if desired, by means of a turninglatch, c3, arranged and operating in the same manner as the bearing c, before described.

. With the parts in the attitude shown in Figs.

1 and 3 this latch prevents the front of the frame from falling, but leaves the front axle free to swivel on its bearin gs c to facilitate the turning of the machine. When the latch is turned a quarter of a circle the parts are free to assume the attitude shown in Fig. 2.

The adjustable arms b, to which the supportin g-wheels B are secured, have bent arms b3 on their lower ends, to which cords, ropes, or chains are secured, which cords are also attached to the ends of two rockin glevers, D, pivoted near their centers to the side pieces, A, of theframe, and united at topby across-bar, d, to secure the necessary degree of resistance to the lateral strains to which they are subjected, as well as their proper mutual cooperation. The cords d are secured to the bent arms of the front wheels and to the lower ends of the levers D. The cords d2 are attached to the bent arms of the rear wheels, and are attached to the upper ends of the rocking levers D after passing round the pulleys d3, which turn on an axle, d4, in the rear part of the frame. The cords d5 connect the tops of the rocking levers with the upper spool of the capstan, hereinafter described.

Near the-center of the machine an upright frame, E,which supports the capstan, is erected. This capst-an consists of a central shaf't, F, which turns loosely in two spools or barrels., Gr H, the lower one, H, of which rests and turns upon a transverse beam, A', of the frame, while the upper one, G, rests and turns upon a iioor,.g, which separates the two. The shaft F passes through a hole in the cross-beam A', and is free to move vertically or longitudinally for a short distance, this vertical movement being regulated by a hand-lever, f, which is forked at one end, and carries pins which take into a groove in the shaft, so as to leave it free to rotate and yet control its rising and falling. This may be done in any well-known way, and thelone above mentioned will readily be understood by a reference to the drawings. The shaft F is rotated bymeans of a lever, I, secured to or litting upon its upper end, and carries two ratchets, 2 and 3, which slide up and down with the shaft in slots 5 and 6 in the spools G H, each of which has a corresponding ratchet, 1 and '4, secured to it. The construction of the capstan, spools, &c., is clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

The tlukes K, projecting beneath the frame,

are for the purpose of anchoring the crab, tov

lthe position shown in Fig. 4. To elevate the frame the hand-lever f is depressed and secured by any suitable detent. This lifts the shaft -F and disconnects the ratchets3 and 4 of thelower spool, H, and engages those, 1 and 2, of the upper spool, G, as shown in Fig. 5. This releases the track-ropeJ and allows .it to slacken. If lthe shaft F be now rotated in the proper direction, the cord d5 will be wound upon the upper spool, Gr, and the frame gradually elevated until the parts assume the position shown in Figs. 1 and3. The front axle, (l, is prevented from passingbeyond a perpendicular line by the semicircle c2, the rearaxle,G./,by the stop c4. The machine, while in this attitude, can readily be transported from place to place. By turning the latch c into the position shown in Figs. l

and 3 the front axle will be securely held with its bent arms in a vertical position. When thus secured, if the cords d', connecting the lower ends of the axle with the rocking levers D, vbe unloosened,themachine can be guided as readily as an ordinary wagon, the latch in no way interfering with its swiveling upon the center bearing, c.

When it is desired 'to anchor the crab the hand-lever f is released, the shaft falls into the position shown in Fig. 4, and the cords d5 are slackened. By rotating the shaft, after first blocking the wheels, the rope J, which is attached to the plow, is wound up, the machine is drawn backward and gradually lowered by the axial movement ofthe axles C C', the flakes are forced into the ground, and by the time the parts assume the attitude shown in Fig. 2 the crabis securely anchored. By leaving the latch c3 in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 .the rear of t'ne machine alone will descend,

which arrangement may sometimes prove convenient in facilitating the entrance of theflukes into the ground. The arrangement of the bearings of the supporting-'wheels in adjustablev arms affords a ready means of adapting the machine to theineqnalities of the ground with out disturbing its horizontal position.

The advantages secured by the above arrangement of parts are so obvious to any one acquainted with the practical operation of these machines that a recapitulation of them is deemed unnecessary here.

We have described our machine as adapted to the making of underground drains, as we have contemplated its application chieiiy to that purpose; but it is obvio us that by removing the lukes and making a slight modification of the cords and levers 'it might as readily be adapted to the transportation of logs, stones, heavy machinery, te.

We do not claim broadly, under this patent, mounting the frame which carries the capstan upon bent axles, nor elevating them by means of the power of the capstan; but,

Having thus described the construction and operation of our improved machine, what we claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination of the spools G H and shaft F with the system of cords d d2 d, levers D, and pulleys d3, when the whole are arranged together for joint operation substantially in the manner herein described, for the purpose set forth.

2. The construction ofthe front axle, O, with a swiveling bearing, c, in combination with the semicircle c2 and turning-latch c3, when arranged together for joint operation substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. Supporting the wheels in adjustable arms b, when said arms are arranged and operate in relation to the bent axles, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names.

A. LITTLE ONE WALL. GEORGE ROBERTS. M. S. OARTTER. Witnesses:

J AMES MCWILLIAMS, ISAAC FREEsE, Jr. 

